Coaching hasn't been easy for me so far. There are struggles and challenges that I face while coaching this team. There are times when I make mistakes, there are times when I hurt people feelings, there are times when I don't know what to do, there are times when I am confused.
Even as the league draws near, I get a little afraid yet excited at the same time. Afraid that I may not know what to do, fearful of what may happen in the future. Yet, at the same time, I'm excited with the fact that we are starting to play in the league soon.
How far do I want to go? I want to go all the way. I want this team to play so well that we would get the position that we deserve. After all the trainings, after all the sweat, after all that we've been through, I want the team to get something that they would remember.
It's not the end result, it's not about the position, it's not about the trophy, it's really about the process, about the game, but I do think they deserve a nice reward. Most of these players have stuck with me the whole way, now it's my turn to do the same for them. I want to be able to support and encourage them as they play each match. I want them to rise above their potential and become great floorball players.
At the end of this season, when they look back, what I want them to remember is the team and people that they have trained and played together with. I want them to have pleasant and great memories about this team. I want this team to be united always, no matter what happens in the future.
Would I coach again next year after all the setbacks and discouragements? Sometimes I find myself asking this question. There are times when I feel like throwing in the towel, but
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Living with Intent
Buckminster Fuller once said, "The minute you choose to do what you really want to do it's a different kind of life." And it's not about what you're getting PAID to do! If you want to live abundantly, decide what you really want and figure out a way to do it. Be clear and live with intent.
You may have heard of Fred Lebow. Fred complained to his doctor that he lacked energy. His doctor advised him to take up running in order to increase his stamina. He fell in love with it! He was 39 years old when he entered his first race -- and did horribly. He beat only one other contestant...a 72-year-old man. But he loved it!
Fred decided what he really wanted to do -- and he did it in his spare time. He joined the New York Road Runners Club and organized New York City's first marathon race. But what Fred truly wanted to do, even more than run, was to bring people together. And that is what he did.
He believe that anybody should be able to run -- people of all ages, any background, professional or amateur, and of any country. Today, more than 28,000 people of all backgrounds and nationalities compete in the NYC Marathon.
Not everyone in New York was excited about people running through their neighborhoods. Fred was approached by a youth gang that warned him that nobody had better run through their turf.
"That's great," Fred enthused. "I need someone to protect the runners in your area, and you look like just the fellows to do it." He gave them each a hat, shirt and jacket and that year, when the marathon went through their neighborhood, these young men proudly guarded the runners along their way.
Fred decided what was truly important to him and he found a way to do it. He lived with intent. That single decision made his life remarkably different.
In 1990, Fred Lebow found he had a brain tumor. In 1992 he ran his final race. He crossed the finish line holding the hand of his friend and Norwegian Olympic medalist, Grete Waitz. A bronze statue was created of Fred in his running clothes, checking his watch.
The statute is now placed at the finish line of every race. Fred died in 1994. But as one sports writer said, "Fate handed him a short race. With his gall, with his love of life, Fred Lebow turned it into a marathon."
Fred would say that it's not about how long you live, but how you run the race of life. Do you run it with intent?
~ Steve Goodier
You may have heard of Fred Lebow. Fred complained to his doctor that he lacked energy. His doctor advised him to take up running in order to increase his stamina. He fell in love with it! He was 39 years old when he entered his first race -- and did horribly. He beat only one other contestant...a 72-year-old man. But he loved it!
Fred decided what he really wanted to do -- and he did it in his spare time. He joined the New York Road Runners Club and organized New York City's first marathon race. But what Fred truly wanted to do, even more than run, was to bring people together. And that is what he did.
He believe that anybody should be able to run -- people of all ages, any background, professional or amateur, and of any country. Today, more than 28,000 people of all backgrounds and nationalities compete in the NYC Marathon.
Not everyone in New York was excited about people running through their neighborhoods. Fred was approached by a youth gang that warned him that nobody had better run through their turf.
"That's great," Fred enthused. "I need someone to protect the runners in your area, and you look like just the fellows to do it." He gave them each a hat, shirt and jacket and that year, when the marathon went through their neighborhood, these young men proudly guarded the runners along their way.
Fred decided what was truly important to him and he found a way to do it. He lived with intent. That single decision made his life remarkably different.
In 1990, Fred Lebow found he had a brain tumor. In 1992 he ran his final race. He crossed the finish line holding the hand of his friend and Norwegian Olympic medalist, Grete Waitz. A bronze statue was created of Fred in his running clothes, checking his watch.
The statute is now placed at the finish line of every race. Fred died in 1994. But as one sports writer said, "Fate handed him a short race. With his gall, with his love of life, Fred Lebow turned it into a marathon."
Fred would say that it's not about how long you live, but how you run the race of life. Do you run it with intent?
~ Steve Goodier
Are you foolish?
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
When I read this verse, the thought that struck me was whether I was a fool. I think we all can picture this scene. A dog returning to its vomit. That's disgusting and unthinkable, it's foolish and dumb. In the same way, when we return to our own foolishness and sin, we are like the dog who returns to its vomit. Maybe there are struggles in our lives that we struggle with and we find ourselves always falling into the same sin and temptation, may this verse wake us up from our constant failures and realise that we are like dogs returning to our own vomit if we keep doing the wrong thing over and over again.
Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. "First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. "Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night.
So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more--until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!"
It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." Only God's grace keeps us from the wolf's fate.
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
When I read this verse, the thought that struck me was whether I was a fool. I think we all can picture this scene. A dog returning to its vomit. That's disgusting and unthinkable, it's foolish and dumb. In the same way, when we return to our own foolishness and sin, we are like the dog who returns to its vomit. Maybe there are struggles in our lives that we struggle with and we find ourselves always falling into the same sin and temptation, may this verse wake us up from our constant failures and realise that we are like dogs returning to our own vomit if we keep doing the wrong thing over and over again.
Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin. "First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. "Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night.
So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more--until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!"
It is a fearful thing that people can be "consumed by their own lusts." Only God's grace keeps us from the wolf's fate.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Battlefield of the mind
James 1:13-15
13: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15: Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Every sin begins in the mind. When we fall into sin, we cannot blame God for tempting us, because God does not tempt us into sinning. To do so would be to go directly against the flawless nature and holiness of God.
The fact of the matter is we are tempted in our mind, a thought is planted in our mind, but this is not sin. It is when we entertain that thought or temptation and stroke the fire of temptation that we begin to be drawn away by our lust. When lust has conceived, it brings forth sin, and when sin conceived, it brings forth death.
Each time we sin, it has a cause and effect. Sin is caused when we entertain our lusts and the effect of sin is death.
Your mind is like a teabag, full of tea leaves. When a thought or temptation comes, it is like the hot water. When you allow the water to mix too much with the tea bag, the outflow is tea. In the same way, when we play or flirt around with wicked thoughts in our mind, we allow our lusts to grow and blossom, which will eventually lead to sin.
I'll end with a little story taken from Today in the Word, June 19, 1992.
A group of academics and historians has compiled this startling information: Since 3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed is equal to a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B.C., there have also been 1,656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved.
On the surface, it seems like there has been much war that has taken place and caused so much tragedies and destruction, but take heed, our minds are the world's bloodiest and fiercest battlegrounds. Every day, we fight a war in our minds. What is the outcome?
Sin and death? Or holiness and life?
13: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15: Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Every sin begins in the mind. When we fall into sin, we cannot blame God for tempting us, because God does not tempt us into sinning. To do so would be to go directly against the flawless nature and holiness of God.
The fact of the matter is we are tempted in our mind, a thought is planted in our mind, but this is not sin. It is when we entertain that thought or temptation and stroke the fire of temptation that we begin to be drawn away by our lust. When lust has conceived, it brings forth sin, and when sin conceived, it brings forth death.
Each time we sin, it has a cause and effect. Sin is caused when we entertain our lusts and the effect of sin is death.
Your mind is like a teabag, full of tea leaves. When a thought or temptation comes, it is like the hot water. When you allow the water to mix too much with the tea bag, the outflow is tea. In the same way, when we play or flirt around with wicked thoughts in our mind, we allow our lusts to grow and blossom, which will eventually lead to sin.
I'll end with a little story taken from Today in the Word, June 19, 1992.
A group of academics and historians has compiled this startling information: Since 3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace! During this period there have been 14,351 wars large and small, in which 3.64 billion people have been killed. The value of the property destroyed is equal to a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles wide and 33 feet thick. Since 650 B.C., there have also been 1,656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war. The remainder ended in the economic collapse of the countries involved.
On the surface, it seems like there has been much war that has taken place and caused so much tragedies and destruction, but take heed, our minds are the world's bloodiest and fiercest battlegrounds. Every day, we fight a war in our minds. What is the outcome?
Sin and death? Or holiness and life?
1 Peter 1:13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
The picture of a man who is not sober is a drunken man, someone who is under the influence of alcohol. So often when we see a drunk man, we recognise the person by his behaviour. We see the person mumbling nonsense, swaying from one side to another while walking, or being unconscious. This is all due to the effect of alcohol.
In this verse, God is encouraging us through the words of Paul to be sober, to be in control, in other words, to exercise self-control. In today's world, many people, myself included, live for our own desires and flesh. We are contented with fulfilling the lust of the flesh and doing what pleases us more than what pleases God.
This is a reminder to me that I need to have self-control or spiritual discipline in what I do, what I want, what I practise. Spiritual discipline is an attitude that every believer must have in order to live the effective and powerful Christian life.
I'll end with this little story about self-control and having discipline in our lives. Remember, if we are not disciplined in the seemingly small things in our life, we would not be able to do great things for God.
During his term as President of the U.S., Lyndon Johnson was somewhat overweight.
One day his wife challenged him with this blunt assertion: "You can't run the country if you can't run yourself."
Respecting Mrs. Johnson's wise observation, the President lost 23 pounds.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
The picture of a man who is not sober is a drunken man, someone who is under the influence of alcohol. So often when we see a drunk man, we recognise the person by his behaviour. We see the person mumbling nonsense, swaying from one side to another while walking, or being unconscious. This is all due to the effect of alcohol.
In this verse, God is encouraging us through the words of Paul to be sober, to be in control, in other words, to exercise self-control. In today's world, many people, myself included, live for our own desires and flesh. We are contented with fulfilling the lust of the flesh and doing what pleases us more than what pleases God.
This is a reminder to me that I need to have self-control or spiritual discipline in what I do, what I want, what I practise. Spiritual discipline is an attitude that every believer must have in order to live the effective and powerful Christian life.
I'll end with this little story about self-control and having discipline in our lives. Remember, if we are not disciplined in the seemingly small things in our life, we would not be able to do great things for God.
During his term as President of the U.S., Lyndon Johnson was somewhat overweight.
One day his wife challenged him with this blunt assertion: "You can't run the country if you can't run yourself."
Respecting Mrs. Johnson's wise observation, the President lost 23 pounds.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
What is sin?
Today, I was listening to a sermon and it was about self-discipline. Well, I must say that it is a spiritual quality that I lack and badly need. We all need self control in our lives and discipline to live a worthy life.
I came across something that was mentioned about sin and I thought that it was something that made loads of sense. 'Sin is a violation of our relationship with God. It belittles the relationship with God.' So often, I sin because I don't see it as hurting my relationship with God. I have no motivation to do right because it has never crossed my mind that sinning breaks the relationship/fellowship that I have with my God.
I'll end with the story below by M. Scott Peck.
I spent much of my ninth summer on a bicycle. About a mile from our house the road went down a steep hill and turned sharply at the bottom. Coasting down the hill one morning, I felt my gathering speed to be ecstatic. To give up this ecstasy by applying brakes seemed an absurd self-punishment. So I resolved to simultaneously retain my speed and negotiate the corner. My ecstasy ended seconds later when I was propelled a dozen feet off the road into the woods. I was badly scratched and bleeding, and the front wheel of my new bike was twisted beyond use from its impact against a tree. I had been unwilling to suffer the pain of giving up my ecstatic speed in the interest of maintaining my balance around the corner. I learned, however, that the loss of balance is ultimately more painful than the giving up required to maintain balance. It is a lesson I have continually had to relearn. As must everyone, for as we negotiate the curves and corners of our lives, we must continually give up parts of ourselves.
I came across something that was mentioned about sin and I thought that it was something that made loads of sense. 'Sin is a violation of our relationship with God. It belittles the relationship with God.' So often, I sin because I don't see it as hurting my relationship with God. I have no motivation to do right because it has never crossed my mind that sinning breaks the relationship/fellowship that I have with my God.
I'll end with the story below by M. Scott Peck.
I spent much of my ninth summer on a bicycle. About a mile from our house the road went down a steep hill and turned sharply at the bottom. Coasting down the hill one morning, I felt my gathering speed to be ecstatic. To give up this ecstasy by applying brakes seemed an absurd self-punishment. So I resolved to simultaneously retain my speed and negotiate the corner. My ecstasy ended seconds later when I was propelled a dozen feet off the road into the woods. I was badly scratched and bleeding, and the front wheel of my new bike was twisted beyond use from its impact against a tree. I had been unwilling to suffer the pain of giving up my ecstatic speed in the interest of maintaining my balance around the corner. I learned, however, that the loss of balance is ultimately more painful than the giving up required to maintain balance. It is a lesson I have continually had to relearn. As must everyone, for as we negotiate the curves and corners of our lives, we must continually give up parts of ourselves.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Is He in His rightful place?
'In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.' (Isaiah 6:1)
Sometimes, it takes God to do something to shake us up and wake us up. Today, while in church, as Ian read this verse, it just occurred to me when was the last time that I saw God sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. And if I were to be honest with myself, it's been a really really long time.
So much of self and flesh, so much of sin and pride, so much of I, me, myself, and so little of holiness and purity, so little of God. So often I see Marcus sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. I lived as if I was the king of my own life, the master of my own destiny. I lived and did things that pleased me, that feeds my flesh and rarely living out a life that glorify Him.
What a worship session today and what a timely message. This simple verse reminded me again of God's lordship in my life. Is it even there?
But today, I saw it. I saw my Lord sitting on the throne of my heart, high and lifted up. I saw Him at His rightful place. I saw Him being my Lord and Master again. It's been a while and the wilderness is starting to wear me out and break me down, but what a wonderful God. His grace never fails me.
Today, I ask you, is God high and lifted up in your life? Is He being the Lord and Leader of your life? Are you living for Him or yourself? I beg you to forsake the self life and begin living the God life, because only in Him can we find true satisfaction and joy, only in Him will we have an abundant and fruitful and meaningful life.
I'll end with something that CS Lewis said.
I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted him to do, and we should be obliged if he would leave us alone. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what he intended us to be when he made us...
Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.
But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of -- throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.
You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.
Sometimes, it takes God to do something to shake us up and wake us up. Today, while in church, as Ian read this verse, it just occurred to me when was the last time that I saw God sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. And if I were to be honest with myself, it's been a really really long time.
So much of self and flesh, so much of sin and pride, so much of I, me, myself, and so little of holiness and purity, so little of God. So often I see Marcus sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up. I lived as if I was the king of my own life, the master of my own destiny. I lived and did things that pleased me, that feeds my flesh and rarely living out a life that glorify Him.
What a worship session today and what a timely message. This simple verse reminded me again of God's lordship in my life. Is it even there?
But today, I saw it. I saw my Lord sitting on the throne of my heart, high and lifted up. I saw Him at His rightful place. I saw Him being my Lord and Master again. It's been a while and the wilderness is starting to wear me out and break me down, but what a wonderful God. His grace never fails me.
Today, I ask you, is God high and lifted up in your life? Is He being the Lord and Leader of your life? Are you living for Him or yourself? I beg you to forsake the self life and begin living the God life, because only in Him can we find true satisfaction and joy, only in Him will we have an abundant and fruitful and meaningful life.
I'll end with something that CS Lewis said.
I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted him to do, and we should be obliged if he would leave us alone. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what he intended us to be when he made us...
Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.
But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of -- throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.
You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
